Pretty much everyone you meet will tell you that motherhood will ‘wreck your memory’, ‘destroy your brain cells’ or give you ‘nappy brain’. And while such forecasts of doom may not put us off having babies, they can seriously alter our own perceptions. Ellison, an experienced investigative journalist, was perturbed by this, to the extent that she put off having children until relatively late in life.
When she finally experienced motherhood, however, she found that she did not feel impaired, more empowered. She set to looking into the science behind how parents’, and particularly mothers’, brains cope with the extra work involved in caring for an infant. From simple anecdotes to in-depth scientific studies, she discovered that being a mother helps us in many ways, from enhancing our perception of our surroundings (protecting and nurturing our young) to multi-tasking (obvious really), motivation and resilience.
Despite being packed with good, solid science, this book is an accessible read, with a human touch to balance out all those facts and figures. And rather than making mothers feel inadequate, it is inspiring and perception altering. You never know, it might just make you want to change the world (or at least go for that promotion).
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The
ThinkBaby verdict
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| Highly enjoyable, easy to read, yet packed with facts. And if you were in search of evidence that your brain really is still working despite the sleep deprivation, here it is, in paperback. It may not tell you how to change a nappy, but it will make you feel better about yourself.
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Usefulness: | 3/5
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Readability: | 4/5 | 
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Value: | 4/5 |
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